Ultrasound imaging apparatus, method of controlling the same, and computer program product

Abstract

An ultrasound imaging apparatus includes: a probe configured to transmit ultrasound signals to an object and receive echo signals corresponding to the ultrasound signals; a memory; and at least one processor configured to obtain a real-time ultrasound image of the object from the echo signals, detect a predefined first movement of a needle inserted into the object, and automatically store in a memory a first ultrasound image of the object including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the first movement of the needle is detected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:
 a probe configured to transmit ultrasound signals to an object and receive echo signals corresponding to the ultrasound signals;   a memory; and   at least one processor configured to obtain a real-time ultrasound image of the object from the echo signals, detect a predefined first movement of a needle inserted into the object, and automatically store in a memory a first ultrasound image of the object including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the first movement of the needle is detected.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first movement of the needle comprises an advancement of the needle into a particular tissue of the object, and
 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to automatically store in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the advancement of the needle into the particular tissue of the object is detected.   
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first movement of the needle comprises a repeated movement of the needle over a predetermined period of time, and
 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to automatically store in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the repeated movement of the needle is detected.   
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first movement of the needle comprises a movement of the needle at a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed, and
 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to automatically store in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the movement of the needle at the speed greater than or equal to the predetermined speed is detected.   
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the needle is a biopsy needle shot out of a biopsy gun,
 wherein the first movement of the needle comprises a movement of the needle shot out of the biopsy gun, and   wherein the at least one processor is further configured to automatically store in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the movement of the needle shot out of the biopsy gun is detected.   
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to set, based on usage of the needle, a form of the first movement of the needle as a condition for automatically storing the first ultrasound image and set a first ultrasound image storage mode in correspondence with the setting. 
     
     
         7 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect the first movement of the needle based on position change information of the needle, and
 wherein the position change information of the needle is generated based on at least one or a combination of information about a region corresponding to the needle in the real-time ultrasound image, information about a position of the needle, which is received from an external device including the needle, and a signal detected from the needle.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the needle comprises at least one of a biopsy needle shot out of a biopsy gun for collection of tissue of the object, a needle inserted into the object for fine needle aspiration (FNA), a needle for injecting a drug into the object, and a needle inserted into the object for radio frequency ablation (RFA). 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to store in the memory a cine image captured over a predetermined time interval, the cine image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the first movement of the needle is detected. 
     
     
         10 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to automatically store in the memory the first ultrasound image together with metadata related to the first ultrasound image, and
 wherein the metadata comprises at least one or a combination of information about usage of the needle, information about a particular tissue of the object into which the needle is inserted, and information about a time point when the first movement of the object is detected.   
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling an ultrasound imaging apparatus, the method comprising:
 transmitting ultrasound signals to an object and receiving echo signals corresponding to the ultrasound signals;   obtaining a real-time ultrasound image of the object from the echo signals;   detecting a predefined first movement of a needle inserted into the object; and   automatically storing in a memory a first ultrasound image of the object including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the first movement of the needle is detected.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first movement of the needle comprises an advancement of the needle into a particular tissue of the object, and
 wherein the automatic storing of the first ultrasound image in the memory comprises automatically storing in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the advancement of the needle into the particular tissue of the object is detected.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first movement of the needle comprises a repeated movement of the needle over a predetermined period of time, and
 wherein the automatically storing of the first ultrasound image in the memory comprises automatically storing in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the repeated movement of the needle is detected.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first movement of the needle comprises a movement of the needle at a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed, and
 wherein the automatic storing of the first ultrasound image in the memory comprises automatically storing in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the movement of the needle at the speed greater than or equal to the predetermined speed is detected.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the needle is a biopsy needle shot out of a biopsy gun,
 wherein the first movement of the needle comprises a movement of the needle shot out of the biopsy gun, and   wherein the automatic storing of the first ultrasound image in the memory comprises automatically storing in the memory the first ultrasound image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the movement of the needle shot out of the biopsy gun is detected.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising setting, based on usage of the needle, a form of the first movement of the needle as a condition for automatically storing the first ultrasound image, and in correspondence with the setting, setting a first ultrasound image storage mode. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the detecting of the first movement of the needle comprises detecting the first movement of the needle based on position change information of the needle, and
 wherein the position change information of the needle is generated based on at least one or a combination of information about a region corresponding to the needle in the real-time ultrasound image, information about a position of the needle, which is received from an external device including the needle, and a signal detected from the needle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the needle comprises at least one of a biopsy needle shot out of a biopsy gun for collection of tissue of the object, a needle inserted into the object for fine needle aspiration (FNA), a needle for injecting a drug into the object, and a needle inserted into the object for radio frequency ablation (RFA). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the automatic storing of the first ultrasound image in the memory comprises automatically storing in the memory a cine image captured over a predetermined time interval, the cine image including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the first movement of the needle is detected. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product comprising a recording medium having stored therein program instructions which, when executed by the processor, perform a method of controlling an ultrasound imaging apparatus, the method comprising:
 transmitting ultrasound signals to an object and receiving echo signals corresponding to the ultrasound signals;   obtaining a real-time ultrasound image of the object from the echo signals;   detecting a predefined first movement of a needle inserted into the object; and   automatically storing in a memory a first ultrasound image of the object including an ultrasound image captured at a time point when the first movement of the needle is detected.